Thrive Without Compromise
Living The Dream • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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INTRODUCTION:
INTRODUCTION:
One of the things that happens after a presidential election is a “coming to terms” with what life “looks like now.”
Those who didn’t vote for a particular candidate might find themselves living in a land they don’t understand.
If you’re a Christian, even if you DID vote for the winning candidate there’s a sense in which your optimism in winning an election is tempered by the problems that our country now faces.
The simple fact is - as a Christian - this world is not our home. The more challenging and broken the world becomes the more aware we are of that reality.
God’s people live as sojourners in this world.
It’s a recurring theme from Genesis to Revelation.
To be a “sojourner” means your staying somewhere temporarily. That’s how Christians view this world no matter how comfortable or satisfying our current experience may be.
Even Jesus acknowledged his disciples were not “of this world.” Nevertheless, we’ve been “sent into this world” just as our Lord. (John 17:14-19)
So the question is, how do you thrive in world that is not your home?
How do you live as someone “sent into this world” but not become someone “of this world?”
As Paul warned, how do we reject conformity to this world and instead become “transformed by the renewing of our mind?” (Rom 12:2)
In the words of our sermon title, how do we “Thrive Without Compromise?”
Jospeh’s story in Genesis gives us an answer. We can draw insights from the time he spent in Egypt.
But we can also learn from Jospeh’s family and their response to resettling with Jospeh in the the land of Egypt.
What was true of them is also true of us. It was demonstrated perfectly by Jesus and is the calling of every Christian today.
We are not “of” this world but we have been sent “into it,” to fulfil our purpose according to God’s plan.
I want to show you four actions every Christian should practice to “thrive without compromise” while living as a sojourner.
THRIVE WITHOUT COMPROMISE
THRIVE WITHOUT COMPROMISE
Our passage begins in Genesis 46:31-34
31 Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s family, “I will go up and inform Pharaoh, telling him, ‘My brothers and my father’s family, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. 32 The men are shepherds; they also raise livestock. They have brought their flocks and herds and all that they have.’
To review, Jospeh and his family had just reunited after years of being separated.
Jospeh had been sold into slavery because his brothers hated him for being the favorite son.
The news destroyed their father and he became unconsolable.
As you might imagine - the outcome of such an action resulted in chaos on every side.
Joseph went from the
top slave in Potiphar’s house to
the top prisoner in Pharaoh’s prison to
the second in command in all of Egypt.
Having successfully interpreted Pharaoh’s dream he was put in charge of saving Egypt from the coming famine.
Joseph’s brothers had traveled from Canaan to Egypt to petition their brother for grain to survive.
Joseph’s identity was hidden at first. He tested his brothers to see if they’d changed.
Discovering they had, he told them the truth and along with the rest of their family had them resettle in Goshen.
Be A Student
Be A Student
Our passage begins with Jospeh going to Pharoah to secure for his family a new life in Egypt.
Before he goes in, however, he talks to his family about the best way to go forward.
33 When Pharaoh addresses you and asks, ‘What is your occupation?’ 34 you are to say, ‘Your servants, both we and our ancestors, have raised livestock from our youth until now.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are detestable to Egyptians.”
1 So Joseph went and informed Pharaoh: “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in the land of Goshen.”
The fact that Jospeh knows just what to say illustrates the method for how to “thrive without compromise.”
#1 Be a wise student of the culture
Jospeh is a great example of being a student of his surroundings because no matter where he gets placed he finds a way to flourish.
Some of that had to do with his personality, I’m sure.
Being skilled in certain domains probably didn’t hurt.
But skills and personality are useless if you don’t know where and how to deploy them.
That requires wisdom of your surroundings and a deep understanding of your cultural context.
This is why Jesus told his disciples to “be wise as serpent even as they are innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16)
Paul said to “walk with wisdom towards outsiders… so you may know HOW you ought to answer every person.” (Colossians 4:5-6)
This is what every missionary does before going overseas.
They study the people, culture and customs of the region they’ll be serving.
What the Clarke family had to learn in going to Krakow, Poland looks drastically different than what Wester family learned in going to Equador.
In fact, when we were ministering to the Tsa-chia people outside of Santo Domingo, Equador Gary mentioned how he regretted not moving into their village early on because their culture is so distinct from other people groups in the country.
I could say the same thing for the initiatives we’ve had in India, Tanzania, Lesotho and more.
People + Place
People + Place
Practically speaking, studying the culture happens at two different levels.
Jospeh demonstrates both and we should pursue to do the same.
The first level is understanding the people and the place (vv 31-32)
The second level is understanding the best path for progress. (vv 33-34)
Level One: Understand the people and the place.
He had developed a great friendship with Pharaoh. He had developed other important relationships with his wife and other co-workers.
He worked diligently to understand their customs and their preferences. Their worries and their fears. You can learn a great deal about a culture without adopting it’s customs for yourself.
Don’t be so fearful or hateful towards our godless culture that you refuse to learn the way it works.
Again - Paul says to act with wisdom “BECAUSE the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:15-17)
Being a student of the culture is why I engage with nonChristian literature and art. It’s why I pay attention to trends and taboos.
It’s not to “keep up with the Joneses” but to “understand the Joneses so I can reach them with the Gospel.
This is what Daniel did while living in Babylon. (Daniel 1:17-19)
This is what Paul did when quoting the Greek poets in Athens. (Acts 17:22-23, 28)
As Paul told Timothy “I became all things to all people so that by all means he might be able to win some.” (1 Cor 9:22)
Path + Progress
Path + Progress
Once you’ve understood the people/place you’ll be positioned to do the next thing.
Level Two: Understand the best path for progress.
Because Jospeh understood Egyptian attitudes about livestock, he knew exactly what to say so that his request would be granted.
He knew that embracing the role of a shepherd would ensure he and his family would be able to stay together.
He knew Pharoah himself needed shepherds and would be keen on keeping them close.
When you understand your culture you’ll can better leverage your opportunities.
You’ll never the door of opportunity if you don’t have eyes to see them!
But that’s not the only thing for thriving in a world that’s not your home.
Be A Servant
Be A Servant
The next thing is illustrated by Jospeh’s brothers and their response to Pharaoh’s question.
1 So Joseph went and informed Pharaoh: “My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that they own, have come from the land of Canaan and are now in the land of Goshen.”
2 He took five of his brothers and presented them to Pharaoh. 3 And Pharaoh asked his brothers, “What is your occupation?”
They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants, both we and our ancestors, are shepherds.” 4 And they said to Pharaoh, “We have come to stay in the land for a while because there is no grazing land for your servants’ sheep, since the famine in the land of Canaan has been severe. So now, please let your servants settle in the land of Goshen.”
To thrive without compromise be a humble servant of the culture.
We spoke last week about humility. It’s one of the primary marks of a Christ-like attitude. (Philippians 2:1-4)
It’s the entry point to a happy life in God’s kingdom. (Matthew 5:5)
We evidence humility through a willingness to serve even at the expense of our own self-interest. (Philippians 2:7-8)
This is also a recurring theme with Jesus and his apostles.
“The greatest in the kingdom will become a slave to all.” (Mark 10:44)
“Even the son of man came not to be served but to serve.” (Mark 10:45)
“Our freedom is not for the flesh but to serve others in love.” (Gal 5:13)
Building communities that serve like Jesus is one of the core values of Broadview Church.
So what does this look like, practically speaking? Jospeh’s brothers show us at least four ways.
I’m going to call them the A, B, C, D’s of serving like Jesus.
A: Accept Your Position
A: Accept Your Position
The first is a willingness to accept your position.
Joseph’s family might’ve top dawgs in the land of Canaan, but in the Egyptian court of Pharoah they demonstrate deference and humility.
I’m sure it would’ve been tempting for at least some of Joseph’s brothers to think “being a shepherd is for the dogs!” Why deal with animals when I could do something else?
They could’ve exploited their relationship with Jospeh to quickly advance the social ladder and forsake Joseph’s counsel for aggressive self-advancement.
The same is true for any other Christian living in a godless culture.
You have to make a decision that serving others is more important than advancing self.
I know it feels counter-intuitive but it’s actually a path to great success (as you can see with Jospeh’s brothers)
There’s a famous quote by Zig Ziglar “you can have everything in life you want if you will just help other people get what they want.”
That’s a Christian understanding of the blessed life.
How do you know whether or not you’ve accepted the position of a servant?
Look at your response when people TREAT you like a servant. (Pastor David Illustration)
When people treat you like a servant do you demand your rights or feel the need to flex your social muscles?
If so, the spirit of the sojourner has been replaced by something else.
Servants who accept their position have nothing to sell and nothing to defend. They’re just there to serve the needs of others.
B: Bloom Where Planted
B: Bloom Where Planted
That’s not the only thing Jospeh’s brother’s do. After they present their request Pharoah responds with an answer.
5 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now that your father and brothers have come to you, 6 the land of Egypt is open before you; settle your father and brothers in the best part of the land. They can live in the land of Goshen. If you know of any capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.”
I won’t spend as much time developing this point but you get the gist of it.
I’m sure at least one of these brothers didn’t want to post up in Goshen. I’m sure the one chosen to serve Pharoah might’ve had better things to do with his time.
But true servants will accept their position and bloom where they’re planted.
A servant doesn’t wait for the perfect position at the perfect salary level with the perfect upward mobility options.
A servant doesn’t wait for certain things to fall in place before the embrace the role of a servant.
A servant chooses to bloom where they’re planted whether they like that place or wish it was somewhere else.
C: Choose to Bless People
C: Choose to Bless People
The next example embracing the role of a servant is demonstrated by Jacob, Joseph’s Father.
7 Joseph then brought his father Jacob and presented him to Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 Pharaoh said to Jacob, “How many years have you lived?”
9 Jacob said to Pharaoh, “My pilgrimage has lasted 130 years. My years have been few and hard, and they have not reached the years of my ancestors during their pilgrimages.” 10 So Jacob blessed Pharaoh and departed from Pharaoh’s presence.
Jospeh’s brothers and father describe themselves as sojourners.
This was not to ease Pharaoh’s anxiety but to honestly convey their perspective.
Even in the land of Canaan they were sojourners waiting to fully possess what was promised by the Lord.
Even so, Jacob chooses to bless Pharoah while he lives in the land of Goshen.
That’s the third attribute of a serving mindset.
Choose to bless other people.
In keeping with the other patriarch Jacob remembers he was blessed to be a blessing.
Depend on God’s Provision
Depend on God’s Provision
The final attribute is shown in verses 11-12. Gen 47:11-12
11 Then Joseph settled his father and brothers in the land of Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded. 12 And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s family with food for their dependents.
Choosing to live as a servant means you’re dependent on outside provision.
While you should always be willing to work for what you have, it’s a dangerous thing so see yourself as the sole provider.
Servants are willing to accept provision from the hands of their master.
In the case of a Christian, they wait on provision from the Lord.
This might come through strategically placed people like Jospeh or it may come through some other means.
In either case…servants depend on God’s provision.
Be A Diligent Steward
Be A Diligent Steward
The main thrust of Genesis 47 is what happens after Joseph and his family get settled.
Remember, Egypt was in the middle of a severe famine and the worst was yet to come.
13 But there was no food in the entire region, for the famine was very severe. The land of Egypt and the land of Canaan were exhausted by the famine.
The word translated exhausted is elsewhere translated
“languished” (ESV),
“wasted away” (NIV) or
“fainted” (KJV).
The idea is that of being completed depleted of resources.
Verses 14-19 explain how that came to be.
Initially, people brought their silver in exchange for buying grain. But as the famine grew worse they eventually ran out. (Gen 47:14-15)
Not wanting to die, they begged Jospeh for food so instead of receiving silver he asked for livestock instead. (Gen 47:16-17)
Exchanging silver for grain and livestock for food, all of Egypt’s wealth was being centralized in Pharoah court.
Another year goes by and even those food stores get depleted. The people were starving, penniless and desperate to survive.
In a last ditch effort they offer up their land to Pharaoh and and themselves as his slaves. In exchange for this, Jospeh gave them seed to plant. (Gen 47:18-19)
Through great wisdom and strategic planning Jospeh keeps everyone alive, not only the Egyptians but those from Canaan as well.
His actions illustrate how to thrive without compromise while living as a sojourner.
#3. Be a steward over the culture.
A stewardship is a trust, given by someone else to you for a specific purpose.
Stewards are not owners. They’re managers. That means their assignment is temporary and their accountable to the master for how they managed the trust.
Scripture constantly describes God’s people as stewards.
The parable of the talents. (Matthew 25:14-30)
The parable of the wise manager. (Luke 12:42-46)
If you’re faithful in little you’ll be faithful with much. (Luke 16:10-12)
It’s required of a steward to be found faithful. (1 Cor 4:1-3)
Use your gift to serve as a steward of God’s grace. (1 Peter 4:10)
On and on I could go with passage after passage. Jesus embodied faithful stewardship just like he did being a humble servant and wise student of the world he came to save.
Proactive With Problems
Proactive With Problems
What does diligent stewardship look like practically speaking? Again, this passage richly illustrates a few ways.
First, Jospeh rejected passivity and was proactive in solving problems.
What separates a good leader from a bad one is how they respond to difficult problems.
Hardship doesn’t create character it reveals it.
And hardship revealed Jospeh’s character to be one of diligence and mental toughness.
Imagine the stress of throngs of people saying, “Why should sit here and die in front of you?”
He had to balance his commitment and loyalty to Pharoah with his assignment to keep Egyptians from death. That’s stressful!
For some people, that kind of stress will just shut them down. For Christians it’s an opportunity to rely on the Lord and attack your problems with faith.
Prudent Under Pressure
Prudent Under Pressure
The next thing Jospeh displays is described in Genesis 47:20-22.
20 In this way, Joseph acquired all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh, because every Egyptian sold his field since the famine was so severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21 and Joseph made the people servants from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 The only land he did not acquire belonged to the priests, for they had an allowance from Pharaoh. They ate from their allowance that Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their land.
Diligent stewards are prudent under pressure.
The word prudent means to act with care and thought for the future.
One of the things that happens when people experience a lot of pressure is that their mind shifts to here and now.
The greater the pressure the greater the impulse to fixate on one’s immediate needs.
When this happens people end up taking shortcuts that hurt them in the long run.
Jospeh doesn’t do that. He sees every setback as a setup for something even better in the future.
Ignore your political leanings about the centralization of power and resources under a political leader (terrible!). Joseph has wisely leveraged every decision to bless his master and care well for his family.
Principled With People
Principled With People
Through it all, however, Jospeh maintains his integrity.
He might’ve centralized Egypt’s wealth and resources but he never did so in a way that abused the people he was entrusted to serve.
This becomes clear in verses 23-26.
23 Joseph said to the people, “Understand today that I have acquired you and your land for Pharaoh. Here is seed for you. Sow it in the land. 24 At harvest, you are to give a fifth of it to Pharaoh, and four-fifths will be yours as seed for the field and as food for yourselves, your households, and your dependents.”
25 “You have saved our lives,” they said. “We have found favor with our lord and will be Pharaoh’s slaves.” 26 So Joseph made it a law, still in effect today in the land of Egypt, that a fifth of the produce belongs to Pharaoh. Only the priests’ land does not belong to Pharaoh.
Diligent stewards are principled in leading other people. (vv 23-26)
It would’ve been easy for Joseph to exploit the Egyptians but he was principled and merciful in his execution of his plan.
He deals with people in such an honorable and principled way that they almost seem glad to give up their freedom and the 20% tax on their earnings.
A good steward will solicit the same from the people he leads. Being principled in our leadership makes our authority a blessing and not a curse.
In this way Jospeh is pointing us to Jesus and his principled leadership of those under his care.
Be Separate From the Culture
Be Separate From the Culture
The final example of how to Thrive Without Compromise is described in the closing verses.
27 Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property in it and became fruitful and very numerous. 28 Now Jacob lived in the land of Egypt 17 years, and his life span was 147 years. 29 When the time approached for him to die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, “If I have found favor with you, put your hand under my thigh and promise me that you will deal with me in kindness and faithfulness. Do not bury me in Egypt. 30 When I rest with my ancestors, carry me away from Egypt and bury me in their burial place.”
Joseph answered, “I will do what you have asked.”
31 And Jacob said, “Swear to me.” So Joseph swore to him. Then Israel bowed in thanks at the head of his bed.
The imagery of verse 29 is shocking to us but we’ve seen it before.
The Hebrew word translated “thigh” is the same word used in Genesis 24:2 when Abraham’s servant made a similar oath to him.
The “thigh” was where the angel of the Lord “touched” Jacob on the night he wrestled with God. (Genesis 32:24-31)
In Hebrew is the region between the waist and the knee. Sometimes it refers to the genitals but generally speaking it symbolized the source of life or the greatest source of strength/power in a person.
It’s essentially a way of saying, “Swear on your life” that you’ll do this thing. That’s exactly what Jacob is asking of Jospeh as it relates to his burial.
He doesn’t want to be buried in Egypt he want’s to be buried in Canaan. Why? Because the land that was promised to Abraham and his descendants wasn’t Egypt but Canaan.
If you want to thrive without compromise you must
#4. Remain faithfully separate from the culture.
Be a person who refused to buy into the idea that this world is your final resting place.
In Jesus we’ve also been given a promised land and it’s not the here and now. It’s not the world as it is. It’s the world that is to come.
It’s a new heaven and a new earth that flourishes under the reign and rule of King Jesus.
This world is destroyed by fire and swallowed up by a new world that belongs to our God and king.
Practice With Purpose
Practice With Purpose
How did Jacob and his family embody that commitment?
As with the others you can see it play out at a few different levels.
In verses 27 to 28 it’s a commitment to align their practice with God’s purpose.
They acquired property and became very fruitful and numerous. (Gen 47:27)
God’s purpose for his people on the one hand is to seek the welfare of the people and place in which we live.
They bought property. They got married. They had babies and grew their family. This is the will of God for us.
In other words, just because we’re traveling through doesn’t mean we shouldn’t seek to serve and bless and improve the quality of the place God has put us.
Daniel and Jeremiah didn’t do that while living in Babylon. Neither should we.
Align your practice with God’s purpose. God has put us in this world to be a light to the nations. So let your light SHINE.
Plans With Promise
Plans With Promise
But in doing this, never forget your forever home or the ultimate promise of God: a new Jerusalem in heaven with Jesus.
Align your future plans according to God’s promise.
Genesis 47:30 “When I rest with my ancestors, carry me away from Egypt and bury me in their burial place.” Joseph answered, “I will do what you have asked.””
After Jospeh makes that oath to Jacob it says it puts bowed his head in gratitude at the foot of his bed.
The Hebrew phrase literally means he worshipped. He was so old there was nothing really left for him to do other than die.
But even on the door of death he remains committed to a life of worship and to a kind of faith than plans the future in light of God’s promise.
Those who live their lives rooted in the future plans of God will be far less likely to have a sinful love for this world.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
What does this mean practically for you and I today? I think there are at least two parallels between the experiences of Jospeh’s family and the people in this room.
But we’ve got to look beyond these characters to the one towards which they point: the Lord Jesus Christ.
I said at the beginning of this sermon that Jesus - like Jospeh - was not OF his world but sent INTO it for its good.
Everything that was true of Jospeh and his brothers is embodied by Jesus one hundred fold.
Jesus was a student of his culture (so much so he became like us in every respect yet without sin).
Jesus was a servant to his culture (so much so he became obedient even to the point of death.)
Jesus was a steward for God over his culture (so much so he lost not even ONE of those entrusted to his care.)
Jesus remained separate from his culture to the very end (so much so that they crucified him on a Roman cross.)
Everything we see from Genesis 47 on how to thrive without compromise is embodied to the greatest extent in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The question is, “have you surrendered your life to Jesus as Lord? Without the enabling grace of the Holy Spirit you’ll never be able to live as he lived.
If you have God’s grace in Jesus Christ, are you fully embracing his calling on your life? A call to thrive without compromise?
Maybe you need to stop being brainwashed by the culture and start understanding it’s propaganda.
Maybe you need to stop living for money and power and start looking for ways to serve people.
Maybe you need reject passivity and accept responsibility for the opportunities God has put in your lap.
Maybe you need to repent of spiritual compromise and recommit yourself to purity and righteousness.
The Holy Spirit of God will lead you into truth. Will you have eyes to see and ears willing to listen?
